


The Invitation

by Aranei



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-25 22:18:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9848870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aranei/pseuds/Aranei
Summary: Uther can be a nice guy.





	

The Invitation was beautiful. The envelope was heavy, made of a fine silver paper with his name in a large, round, dark purple script on the front. The inside was equally beautiful. The card was thick and heavy with quite possibly the most beautiful script he had ever seen. It was embossed at the top with the Pendragon crest in gold. He couldn’t help but stare. He had not expected to receive one of these and was frankly, quite concerned that he had. He had only just been promoted to team leader, not department head and even then, many didn’t get one of these, especially not ones from the labs. Invites to one of Uther Pendragon’s soirees was usually reserved for Members of the board and upper upper management with the occasional department head.

It had been delivered by a tall, dark skinned man who had placed it sharply in his hand as he said, “Attendance is mandatory. Formal dress with a date.” He pondered for a moment which of the two had done this to him, but quickly dismissed Morgana. She could be an evil, cold-hearted bitch but she wouldn’t do this to him. She liked him too much. That left Arthur. They were supposed to be friends, good friends, actually great friends as a matter of fact. Stupid prat with his golden blond hair, his sky blue eyes, his chiseled jaw and his Adonis-like body, not that he was looking or anything. He had to wonder if Arthur was looking for a way to get him demoted or worse, fired.

The first thing he did was panic, muttering to himself while pacing in his office. Prat, dollophead, clotpole and pillock all figured heavily in his little rant until he came up with a plan he thought rather good, not just good but brilliant. He completely dismissed the thought that this would allow him a chance to see Arthur in a tux. Ok, maybe not completely but he was still mad so maybe he would imagine punishing him. Ok, maybe not here or right now. So, instead of taking a date who would expect his attention, he would get a friend who would just help him make it through the evening. It seemed like such a good plan. He went through his entire list of friends and acquaintances eliminating anyone he knew to be married or in a relationship. He then started with Gwen.

“I’m sorry Merlin but I was hoping Lancelot would ask me to the May Day Dance for museum employees. I mean, he will, don’t you think? I have to stay open for that. You understand, right?” She had wrung her hands a bit as she spoke.

“Yeah, of course.” He already knew that Lancelot was just going to pine for her from afar but never make a move. Gwen wasn’t going to get anywhere with him unless she made the first move and he wasn’t about to tell her that.

From there he tried Gwaine. “My father has given me his invitation as he is traveling. Said I am to go in his stead and I’m hoping to go with a certain someone but, you know, if that doesn’t work out and you don’t find anyone else.” Merlin had just nodded and walked away. 

Freya was so distressed about saying no that he ended up apologizing for asking. Forridel had patted him on the cheek and said, “Aren’t you cute, but no.” Percival grinned at him shyly but said he already had someone else. Will had laughed so hard in his face that he was too embarrassed to try asking Gilli or Daegel. Friend after friend after acquaintance said no. He felt really desperate when Sefa and Mary turned him down but Alice was the final straw. He had heard the giggles from her friend as he had walked away and knew they were laughing at him. He had gone through his entire list of friends and acquaintances and struck out with all of them. They had all refused. A couple of them at least looked apologetic to have rejected him, and of course, there was Gwaine who promised that if he found no one else then he would do it. Merlin, however, had no intention of taking someone who was only doing it out of pity. 

Merlin stopped to look at himself in the bathroom mirror. Ok, so he was a little pale but the contrast with his dark wavy hair and short clipped beard.was nice. He thought he had really nice eyes and a rockin set of cheekbones. The ears were a bit big but he covered those with his hair most of the time. He was tall with broad shoulders, perhaps a bit thin but he wasn’t skinny. “Am I really that ugly? Or is it just embarrassing to be seen in public with me?” He knew they thought of him as a bit of a nerd but they were supposed to be his friends, people who liked him. And yet not one would go with him. The worst part was that he would have done it for any of them and that made him even more sad.

A week before the event he made up his mind he would just go stag, hide in the corner, ogle Arthur in his tux at least once and make sure Uther saw him. After that, he would then hightail it out of there. As part of his new plan he also avoided everyone he could. He went to work early, kept the door closed on his office, ate lunch at his desk and left late. He didn’t return Gwen’s phone calls, he didn’t respond when Gwaine asked if he wanted to get lunch and he most certainly didn’t respond to Will asking if he wanted to go to the pub. He also didn’t respond to Arthur’s request to hang out. He was mad at the stupid gorgeous dollophead for getting him into this mess. 

When Saturday came around Merlin decided he would treat himself to a proper lie-in and a leisurely brunch before making his way to the barber. He didn’t really need a haircut but he figured it was in his best interest. He poked through a couple of shops before he returned home to get dressed only to see that he still had five hours left before he needed to be there. He set three timers before sitting down to play a video game but he couldn’t relax. He finally just dressed and went early, wandering up the street and back.

 

By the time he had picked her up and escorted her into the ballroom at The Claridge, Arthur had suffered through the need to tell Sophia she was gorgeous at least three times. He had suffered through her complaints about the tux he had chosen to wear. Apparently Armani was superior to Dolce and Gabbana. He didn’t say anything but he had chosen this one because Merlin had complimented him the last time he had worn it. He then suffered through a series of comments about his hair not being exactly how she liked it, how she didn’t like the ring he was wearing and that his cologne wasn’t what she wanted him to wear. Merlin had given him the cologne at Christmas because he claimed it ‘smelled like Arthur’. He then had to listen to a litany of catty, hateful comments about half the people attending. By the time he managed to leave her in the company of ‘friends’, he was exhausted. He had grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter and was looking for a corner to hide in for just a few moments when he caught site of a familiar mop of dark hair. He tried to follow thinking he couldn’t be right only to be stopped by one of his father’s associates. As soon as he was free he took to searching the crowd again. He spotted Gwaine with Percival and smiled as he headed toward them only to be stopped by someone else. By the time he was free, Gwaine and Percival were gone but he spotted Merlin heading into the gent’s.

Arthur nodded at the rest room attendant and waited for Merlin to finish before he spoke. As soon as Merlin turned around to face him, Arthur was struck by how good he looked in a tux. “Wow, you look good.” 

Merlin blushed slightly as he flashed Arthur one of his big goofy grins. “Thanks, you look pretty good yourself.” He stepped up to the sink to wash his hands.

Arthur turned to check his hair in the mirror. “So Merlin, what are you doing here?”

Merlin thought for a moment his evening was going to take an upturn if he could spend time with Arthur. “Someone saw fit to send me an invitation and say that attendance was mandatory.” He finished drying his hands and turned to watch him in the mirror. 

Arthur looked at Merlin in the mirror as he washed his hands, “Why in the world would anyone send you an invitation? I mean really, what would be the point?” He realized a moment too late he had said the wrong thing by the look on Merlin’s face. 

Merlin tried to school the intense feeling of hurt that shot through him but failed. After the last few weeks, it felt like every look that Arthur’s Uncle Agravaine and father had leveled at him over the years implying he was unworthy all at once. He didn’t bother to say anything, just ran out the door.

Arthur stood staring for a few seconds. The look of hurt on Merlin’s face had shocked him. He hadn’t meant it the way it came out and now he wanted nothing more than to take it back. He turned off the water and turned to grab a towel when one of the stall doors opened. Valiant stepped out in front of him, a shit eating grin on his face. “Good riddance Pendragon. He’s just a plug ugly poof.”

“Shut up Valiant. He’s ten times the person you are,” Arthur glared at him with an intense need to defend Merlin. Loyal, kind, nerdy, brilliant, lovable Merlin.

Valiant took another step closer. “You a poof lover now Pendragon?” He leaned over Arthur using his height to appear more intimidating. “Or are you turning into an airy fairy poof yourself Pendragon?”

Arthur thought for a second about saying damn right as he thought about Merlin. Valiant was taller and had maybe a 2 stone on him but Arthur wasn’t worried. Where Valiant was cocky, he was calculating. “So what if I am. At least I don’t have to drug anyone to get them into my bed,” Arthur retorted. 

Valiant was moving to strike when the rest room attendant spoke hoping to end any escalation. “I have alerted security.”

Valiant kept his eyes firmly on Arthur and spoke in a low sneer. “You better hope I don’t find you somewhere alone.” He then pulled back, glared at the attendant and stalked out. 

Arthur just stood there for a moment, taking a deep breath. Anyone watching might have thought it was relief that Valiant was gone and a bit of it might have been, but it was really about Valiant’s words. You a poof lover now Pendragon? The word lover caught in his mind.

“Oh for heaven’s sake, go find him and apologize,” the attendant prompted.

Arthur turned and looked at the attendant for a second before he spoke, “I will.”

Arthur ran out of the bathroom shocking a group of people near the doors. Merlin was nowhere in sight but he could see the path of destruction he left by the number of champagne flutes on the floor being chased by waiters. He was going to have to find Merlin and make things right but at this moment he was going to find out who set this up. Spotting his sister ensconced next to a table of chocolates, he stomped up to her. “Morgana, why did you invite Merlin?” He demanded.

Morgana gave him an odd look. “I didn’t and I would never.” She licked a bit chocolate off her finger and smiled at him. “ I like him better than that.” She gave him a smirky smile.

Arthur was trying to keep his voice down but was not doing a good job. “Well then who would have put his name on the list? He was told he had to attend.”

Uther had spotted Arthur making a beeline for his sister. By the look on Arthur’s face, he decided he should move over to see if it was time for the next part of his plan. Neither of them heard him approach. “I invited him. 

Arthur and Morgana both swiveled their heads toward him with a glare and spoke at the same time, “Why?”

Uther seemed struck for just a second by the oddly synchronous display. He then gave both of them a bit of a glare in return. “Arthur, I wanted you to see how unsuitable he is for someone of your social standing.”

Morgana opened her mouth to speak but Arthur beat her too it. “Father!” He spotted his Uncle Agravaine in the background which angered him more. “I suppose you think Sophia is more suitable. Well let me tell you, Merlin is nicer, kinder, more generous and certainly more loyal than 99% of the people in this room and I trust him heart and soul.”

Uther took a deep breath and stared at his son, “Is that so.”

Arthur’s eyes nearly bugged out his head. “You know damn well it is.” With that he stomped off with a bit of a huff.

Morgana eyed Uther suspiciously, “What are you up to?”

Uther gave her a stern look before he took a sip of his champagne. “Oh please. There is only so much one can take.”

Morgana stared at him in shock, “You knew?”

“Really Morgana,” the annoyance clear in his voice. “A blind man could see it.”

“But what about all those women?” Morgana asked, seeking to understand.

Uther sighed, “I won’t lie Morgana. I had been hoping he would find a nice woman to settle down with and give me grandchildren. But I have watched him and that boy for years now. And everything Arthur says about him is true, whether I like it or not. I want him to be happy. Plus, I don’t think I could take a lifetime of Sophia.” He shuddered a bit at the thought.

Morgana slipped an arm around his waist and hugged him. “You big old softie.”

“Hush. You’ll ruin my reputation.” Uther said in a stern voice with no heat behind it.

 

Arthur was most of the way to the door when someone grabbed his arm. "What?" He turned to look at Sophia.

"Where do you think you are going Arthur?" Sophia demanded while trying to keep her voice low.

"Somewhere more important," he stated as he attempted to extricate his arm. Out of the corner of his eye he could see someone with a cell phone in hand.

She put an incredibly fake smile on her face and tried to act as though things were just fine. "Nothing could possibly be more important than I am at the moment." 

"Really?" Arthur gave her a sour look. “Because I can think of lots of things more important and far more interesting."

"You'll pay for that Pendragon," she sneered in a low voice.

Arthur pulled his arm free. "I don’t think so. We're through. I've had enough of you and your bitchy witchy ways."

The screech of Sophia’s voice made those within earshot turn but it was the slap to Arthur’s face that made them cringe. "Well I never!" 

"I doubt that." Arthur stepped quickly out of her reach and shot her a snarky grin. The slap had hurt but he wasn’t going to let her see that. “God that felt good. I wish I had done it sooner.”

Sophia gave him a look such that if possible he would have caught fire. "If you don’t come with me right now, I won’t even acknowledge your existence ever again,"

Arthur rolled his eyes at the dramatics. “Go find someone else willing to lap at your heels. I’m done.” 

 

When Merlin had exited the bathroom he hadn't been exactly watching where he was going. The two waiters were fortunately carrying empty champagne flutes. Merlin however was too flustered to help them pick them up. Red faced with embarrassment he moved quickly from the ballroom. The Claridge no doubt had an equally beautiful bar but he didn't want Arthur to find him that easily. With that thought, he calmly made his way out of the hotel and up the street to a small pub he had made note of earlier. There was always a chance that Arthur would try here but he was willing to take it. He took a seat at the far end of the bar as far from the door as possible and ordered a pint. He downed it in one go and ordered a second. As he sat there staring at nothing he took the invitation out of his pocket and threw it on the bar muttering to himself “Stupid invitation ruining everything. Damn thing’s cursed.” He had a few more thoughts about it, the whole evening and his friends but he didn’t give those voice, just let them whirl around in his head. He was just finishing his second pint when he heard a voice.

"I would say I'm sorry but I don't think you would believe me," Arthur said quietly.

Merlin didn't turn to look at him and he didn’t attempt to hide the hurt or sadness in his voice. “What do you want Arthur? To be forgiven? Fine. You’re forgiven. Now you can get back to your perfectly precious Sophia. I’m sure she’s noticed you aren’t groveling at her feet.”

Arthur cleared his throat. He blushed at that characterization and wanted to deny it, but he would be lying. “Yeah well.”

“I was supposed to bring a date.”

“What?” Arthur queried.

“The man who handed me this,” Merlin shoved the invitation into view. “He said I had to bring a date but everyone I asked said no.” Arthur stepped forward but didn’t say anything, unsure where this was going. “They would all have climbed over mountains to go with you and there you are fawning at the feet of someone who treats you like you aren’t even worth the dirt on her shoes.”

“Merlin.”

“Aren’t we quite a pair, I can’t get a date and you have the date from hell.” Merlin kept his eyes firmly on the bar.

“Merlin.”

Am I really that ugly?”

“There is nothing ugly about you Merlin.” Arthur stepped up right next to him but hesitated to put a hand on his shoulder.

“I didn’t ask strangers, I asked my friends. I asked them to help me get through this evening and they all said no.” Merlin let the full measure of his hurt into his voice.

That made Arthur feel even worse about what he said. “I would have gone with you.”

“Yeah right,” Merlin snorted. “Sophia would never have given up the opportunity to be seen in public.”

Arthur sat down on the bar stool and leaned on the bar. “I broke up with her.”

Merlin whipped around to look at him. “You what?”

Arthur rubbed gently at his cheek. “Rather publicly. It’s probably on the net by now.”

“Why?”

Arthur couldn’t help but notice that Merlin’s eyes were red with unshed tears. It didn’t matter who had hurt Merlin. It only mattered that he was hurt and he wanted to fix that and then wrap him safely in his arms so he would never be hurt again. “I realized I wanted to be with someone else.”

Merlin had learned long ago not to get his hopes up. “Let me guess. Elena? No, wait, Mithian.”

“It’s neither.” Arthur smiled at him. ”Truth is I have wanted to be with this person for a long time but I wouldn’t let myself think about it but I can’t deny the truth any longer.”

Merlin looked at him earnestly. He cared deeply about Arthur and genuinely wanted him to be happy even if it wasn’t with him. “Then you should go to them and tell them how you feel.”

Arthur swallowed down the nervous lump in his throat. He smiled at Merlin as he reached over and took his hand. “That’s good advice.” He cleared his throat. “Merlin Emrys..”

Merlin looked at him wide eyed with his mouth slightly open. His heart was suddenly beating so hard he had to wonder if others could hear it. “What are you doing?”

“Something I should have done a long time ago.” He gave Merlin’s hand a slight squeeze before he continued. ”Merlin Emrys, we have been friends a long time and I like you, a lot. So much so that I might even be in love with you.”

Merlin just sat there staring at Arthur’s beautiful face. It had to be a dream and he was going to wake up any moment now, disappointed it wasn’t true, but he didn’t want to break the spell just yet so he stared taking in the beautiful blue of his eyes, the square of his jaw, the slight pout of his lips all topped by a golden crown of blond hair. 

“Merlin?” Arthur said nervously. When the man just continued to stare at him without response he felt a sharp pang of disappointment in his chest. “If you don’t feel the same, it’s ok.” He closed his eyes and started to pull back his hands when he felt soft lips press against his.

Merlin smiled at him. “Clotpole. You wasted all that time with someone who didn’t really like you when you could have been with me.”

Arthur grinned and shrugged, “What can I say? I was a real dollophead.”

Merlin looked at him intently,“My word.”

“Then I guess that makes me your dollophead.” Arthur leaned in and kissed him.


End file.
